Pigs are amazing creatures. They are brilliant mothers who are very clean (walking up to a mile to go to the toilet away from their nests). They wallow in mud to keep cool (they have no sweat glands) and are as intelligent as a 4-year old child. As well as having 20 grunts and squeals to communicate with each other, the mother pigs sing to their piglets! In many countries, pigs are kept in factory farms, separated by metal grilles, so are unable to move or turn around, or nurse their piglets.
from Animal Anatomy by Sophie Corrigan
Pigs have good memories and know their own names, by the time they are 2 weeks old. They love belly rubs and when they dream, they sleep nose-to-nose, how cute is that?
When I see bacon, I see a pig. I see a little friend. And that’s why I can’t eat it. Simple as that. Sir Paul McCartney
plant-based alternative to pig meat
Obviously the best way to help pig welfare, is to not eat them. Don’t give fake meats to pets, due to toxic ingredients like onion, garlic, mushrooms, jackfruit etc. See the posts on:
- Plant-based alternatives to bacon (you can make your own ‘bacon’ from anything from mushrooms to aubergine, plus there are some really good bacon alternatives on the market, to make a BLT).
- Plant-based alternatives to pork (OmniPork is the main brand sold in stores, and you can even now buy vegan pork scratchings, ideal to buy wholesale in pubs).
- Plant-based alternatives to ham (again there are far better alternatives on the market than the main supermarket brands).
- Plant-based alternatives to sausages (most people who eat meat find sausages a bit dodgy, it’s far better to make your own or find good cholesterol-free brands without palm oil).
if you do eat pig meat..
Presently, most people do eat bacon, pork, ham and meat sausages. So be aware of the best welfare practices, to at least avoid factory farms. There are lots of ‘welfare labels’, but most are not that stringent (Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured are not really approved of by Compassion in World Farming). It says to look for local meat that says ‘organic or free-range’ or ‘outdoor bred’ or ‘outdoor reared’ on the label.
If you raise pigs, read the post on how to help small farmers, to learn of charities that can help you financially (which leads to better welfare, including providing free feed if you are in financial difficulties).
the issues of pet pigs
Another issue of late has been people keeping ‘pet pigs’, which start off small and then grow into massive animals that are difficult to look after and bond closely with a herd in the wild. There are strict rules on adopting pot-bellied pigs from rescue centres, so only do this if you have the right knowledge, to provide suitable care. Vets can buy a copy of a book specialising in potbellied pig medicine.
